Missing Pieces
by CalleighCat26
Summary: Calleigh and Eric, the usual. 'M' rating for future chapters. PLEASE R&R! :) *Disclaimer: I own nothing!*
1. Chapter 1: Something's Missing

**Here's chapter 1, I hope you enjoy it!**

 **-C**

 **CHAPTER 1: Something's Missing**

She walked through the door to her house around 6pm, same as every other day. Except today, it felt different. Today, she felt something was missing. Something was nagging at her mind and refused to let her ease into the evening. She'd had a rough day at work and didn't really know what she needed. She decided to take a shower, maybe that would help her think- it always did.

As the hot water assaulted her senses, she noticed that it wasn't a hot shower that she needed, she knew it was something else. You'd think that, for a detective, she would be able to figure out where this empty feeling was coming from. She read people all day long, yet not once did she bother to do herself the same favor. She washed off the day with her lavender/vanilla body wash, something she had done so many times before, but it didn't feel right.

She quickly got out of the shower, and dried off, thinking she needed to eat something. After a short dinner, she found that eating didn't help her either. She felt lonely, and even though she had been in the company of her team all day, her house just didn't feel like home anymore. It didn't feel the same. Ever since she read that file at work, Eric's file, she noticed a shift in their relationship. Then they were together for a bit, and then they weren't, and then they were again, and now they weren't. She needed him. It was painfully evident in every way. How she sat on her couch, subconsciously waiting for him to capture her in his big strong arms- but he didn't. She sat there leaning up against the soft green back of the couch hoping that it would somehow turn into him. It was clear that she needed him. After their talk in the locker room, and their late-night session afterwards, he had almost won her back over. But, being herself, she pulled away- again. She hated herself for that.

She hated how detached she became whenever someone tried to get close to her. How she never let Eric see the true her. She always came off as strong and thick headed. Yet, even though he knew she was very sensitive underneath that strong, independent facade, he couldn't push those walls down. It irritated both of them, but she truly couldn't help it. She was so guarded, especially around Eric because she didn't want either of them to get hurt. She cared about him too much to hurt him. She loved him, and she knew that. She also knew that their relationship had changed. It went from happy and comfortable, to awkward and distant. And she hated it. But she knew it was her own fault for pushing him away. She had to live with it now.

Calleigh Duquesne is not needy, or clingy, and especially not love-sick. But when it came to Eric Delko, things were just different. She needed him. She clung to his old t-shirt that he left at her house after their last rendezvous like a child clinging to their favorite blankie. She wore it like it was an oversized dress, because 'what else do you do with your boyfriend's t-shirts?', she thought. Oh God. Did she just use the word boyfriend, in correlation with thoughts of Eric? 'No, not possible. They were just a fling…'

She lied to herself again.

She was just on the verge of minimal comfort when she heard a knock at her door. She grabbed her gun, wondering who it could be. Anyone she knew would've called first, or at least texted her, right? She looked through the peephole in disbelief, and quickly put her gun on the end table by the door before opening it. It was pouring rain, on a humid summer night in Miami, and who else but the very person she needed most was at her door, looking drenched and desperate.

"Eric?" she said in utter shock.

"Hey Cal, mind if I come in?" He begged hoping he could appeal to her southern hospitality.

"Oh God of course! Come in, you're soaked!" she said

"Thanks, I appreciate the refuge from this monsoon." He joked.

"Anytime, so what brings you here, Eric?" She questioned, knowing that she may not love the answer.

"I need a favor." He stated, almost as if it was so natural for him to drop by unannounced on a rainy night.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Her maternal instinct kicking in. She was always like the mother in her household growing up, the voice of reason; so, she became accustomed to taking care of people. Especially Eric, after he was shot.

"I'm fine, Calleigh. My car broke down a couple blocks up, and my phone died so I couldn't call a tow company, so I'm stuck. Let's just say it's been a rough few hours." He said, hoping she wouldn't mind his unannounced visit.

She stood there staring as the man she loved more than anything in the world stood in front of her. She couldn't move yet. She snapped out of her trance quickly enough for it to seem normal and invited him into her living room. She quickly diverted her attention to the fact that he was still soaking wet and dripping everywhere.

"You're soaked, Eric, let's get you out of those wet clothes. I'm sure I have something here that you can wear." she said, shuffling around her home now looking for his clothes.

She shuffled her way down the hall and into her bedroom, and he followed knowing she wouldn't mind. How could she? He had been in that bedroom so many times before he could navigate the entire house blind just to get there, and he did quite a few times. Well… if he was being truthful, he wasn't really _blind_ he was just… preoccupied. Just the thought made his head spin with memories, and a tiny amount of blood rush south. Thinking of her that way was still a major turn on, but it was more of a discomfort when he was actually around her, now. She pushed him away and it seemed as though she didn't want him back.

She thought to herself, about how she needed him now more than ever. She adored the way he looked like a sad puppy, all wet and cute. But she quickly vanquished those thoughts from her mind, and made her way into her closet as she dug through the stuff he had left at her house so long ago. She found sweatpants immediately, but all of his t-shirts were gone. Laundry. She looked into her hamper slightly embarrassed as she noticed that she had worn all of his t-shirts to bed every night for the past month. No wonder why she felt like she was doing laundry more often lately. She came back to him waiting by her bed, now clad in just a towel he snagged from her bathroom, she smiled to herself as how good he looked wrapped in her towel, or how he just defaulted to grabbing a towel without asking. The level of comfort between them was back, in that instant. They both knew it.

"Okay so I have a pair of your old sweats but I have no shirts for you." she said.

"No shirts, huh? Well I think that's just your excuse to keep me from wearing a shirt." He replied jokingly.

"Oh really? Well I think it's just because you didn't leave that much clothing here when you last came by, because as good as you look without a shirt, I wouldn't let you go cold." She replied echoing his joking tone.

"I see, well if there aren't any shirts, then where did they all go? Because I distinctly remember leaving at least a week's worth of t-shirts and sweatpants here, just in case of emergencies." He said knowingly.

Slightly embarrassed, she answered "Well I wasn't gonna leave them dirty! I wash them every now and again, and they're in my hamper right now, as a matter of fact." She said hoping she could cover her ass.

"Huh, well I guess that makes sense. But then may I ask, what's that, you're wearing?" He inquired.

Damn it, she thought to herself. Not realizing that she was still wearing his shirt. The last of his shirts for the week. Shit. "Oh this? Just an old shirt…" she trailed off.

"I think I need that one, Cal." He stated slyly.

He wanted to play that game? That dangerous, and oh so necessary game of torturous teasing and sarcastic banter? Fine, she could play too, only she was better at it. And they both knew it.

"Fine, then I guess you'll just have to take this one…" She replied, as she reached for the hem of his old MDPD training academy shirt. She pulled it over her head, knowing full well what she was doing. His Adam's apple bobbing in his throat as he gulped watching her take off his shirt. He felt himself losing control already the sight of her in her matching black lace bra and underwear made him dizzy; but had no choice other than keeping his cool at the moment.

"Here." She stated as she handed him the old t-shirt and walked off into her closet to find something to wear.

She was comfortable in his shirt because it smelled like him and it made her feel safe, almost like she was in his arms again. She rummaged through her things while Eric put his-her shirt on, she couldn't help the sigh of dismay at the thought of him not being shirtless. She finally found an acceptable pair of PJs to throw on. A set of light pink pajamas, a tank top and shorts. 'Good enough', she thought to herself- not thinking they were getting anywhere tonight. She threw on the pajamas and walked out of her closet only to find Eric missing.

She walked out into the living room where Eric had excused himself to after images of her in her underwear were a bit too much for him, and sat on the couch just waiting for her.

"Hey, there you are! I'd begun to think you'd left me after you got what you wanted." She said motioning to the t-shirt he was now wearing.

"You know I'd never leave you high and dry like that, Cal." He added with a wink.

She sat next to him and posed the question, "So what brings you over here to my part of town? I mean your house is far from here, so why would you be driving around in this rain? Were you at Brennan's with the guys or something?"

"No, I was just driving, trying to waste some time." He answered.

"And some gas?" she retorted with a giggle.

"Yeah, that too." He added also laughing. Then things got quiet.

There was a shift in the atmosphere. They both knew that they couldn't avoid the topic much longer, as much as they'd like to, it's impossible when their one-on-one time is so distorted because of it. So, she sat down next to him, figuring she'd have to be the one to address it first.

"Eric…" she started, "I know that things have been awkward lately. And I know that we are not the same as we used to be. And that makes things more complicated. Especially at work, and…" She trailed off not knowing whether or not she wanted to continue- knowing what she was about to say next. She was about to let all of her walls down, and let him in. Let him know what she truly wanted for them. But he made up her mind for her, and captured her lips in a kiss.

The kiss was innocent at first, but then it grew deep in passion and in longing. She needed this. She needed him. He knew what she was going to say and didn't want to rush her or make anything feel forced, but at that moment, kissing Calleigh Duquesne was the only thing in his mind. The only thing he could justify cutting off that beautiful voice for.

If Eric could listen to one voice for the rest of his life, he would pick Calleigh's. Her sweet southern drawl made Eric's mind go blank. Made him weak at the knees, and the first time he heard it, he made a promise to himself that it wouldn't be the last time. He would work every day to make sure he heard that voice at least once. Even if it was just a simple 'Good Morning' he would make sure he did. It was always the highlight of his day to hear her voice. To see her. To be in the same vicinity as her. Basically, _she_ was the highlight of his day.

The two kept on kissing until the need for oxygen became too overwhelming and pulled them apart. They were both breathing heavily, and waiting to regain their breathing so they could go back in for more. Calleigh looked up, into his eyes for the first time in a while, and what she found was something she so desperately needed. In his eyes, his love for her was ten times what she could have ever hoped for. When they were dating before it was mostly just sex and protection from flying bullets, on the job. They never reached that intimacy that they both craved. But, to be fair, she pushed him away before they had the time. And since then they really only saw each other outside of work for a 'wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am' kind of thing. She didn't give them a shot, she was too afraid of hurting him like all the rest.

"Eric… I'm so sorry…" She said, trying to keep the tears at the brim of her eyes from falling. He heard her voice get shaky and saw those gorgeous green eyes start to get sad, and he immediately pulled her into his arms, and held her. He just held her there for a while until she felt comfortable enough to continue speaking. He hated seeing her cry, she was so strong all the time, and he had only seen her cry once or twice. But he hated seeing her be anything but happy. Although he thought she was devilishly sexy when she was angry, he still only wanted to see her happy and flash him that megawatt smile he loved so much. Eric truly adored Calleigh, for all that she was, and made her, and himself, a silent promise that he would work tirelessly to ensure that her happiness never faded away.

She didn't know how long she had been laying in Eric's arms, but she didn't care. She was comfortable- truly comfortable- for the first time in what had seemed like forever. The only time she was actually happy, which she now was forced to admit to herself, was when she was with Eric. He made her happy. Bottom line.

She looked up into his chocolate brown eyes, God she loved those, and started to speak. "I'm so sorry for pushing you away. Again. And I know that it was my fault that we didn't get anywhere before, but I wasn't really ready to. And I feel like all I think about since you left is you. And I'm sick and tired of walking past you in the halls at work and thinking that I could have had that. I want that with you, Eric. I want you."

 **Stay tuned for chapter 2! Thanks so much for reading! :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Wanting More

**Here's the second chapter! Thanks for reading! :)**

 **-C**

 **CHAPTER 2: Wanting More**

Her confession left him stunned. He wasn't expecting all that from her just yet, especially based on the track record she'd had of confessing her deepest desires to anyone (none at all), he was at a loss for words.

She sat up straight waiting for him to speak, "Please say something." She pleaded, praying that she hadn't lost her chance. Even though he had, in the past, told her what he felt, she wasn't totally sure if he still felt it. She was so unsure with him, because he would say things like that to get her to love him again and then they'd have sex and he'd be mellowed after and wait for her to call the shots- which often led to them breaking it off. He never called the shots, but little did she know, he only did that because he didn't want to force her into anything she wasn't ready for.

With Calleigh's heart on her sleeve, they just stared into each other's eyes for a bit. And then he spoke, "Calleigh, you know I love you. Always have, always will. I will never give up on you, or force you into anything you aren't ready for. Why do you think I waited so long for you? I love you. I need you in my life because I can't imagine a life without you in it."

Now she just couldn't help herself. The tears came flowing down her face, and he was there to catch every single one. "What's wrong, querida?" He grew worried at the sight of her crying in his arms. She just sat there, not knowing what to say, but knowing that she needed to be as close to him as possible.

She snuggled her way back into his arms. She felt safe with him. She answered, "I just feel like we're losing us. We're losing our friendship, and our relationship. And I don't wanna lose you." She looked serious. He saw her eyes turn a new shade of green. A shade he'd never seen before. He was so accustomed to seeing the dark lustful, forest green, or the light playful, emerald green, or that beautiful sea foam green he saw when she was investigating a case. But this was a new shade, something he was slightly surprised by, but after all these years she still managed to surprise him.

He knew what she needed more than she did herself. He lifted her chin with his hand and gently pulled her lips to his in a soft, loving kiss. Eric had no intention of things going further at that particular time, but Calleigh needed more. She deepened the kiss, hungry for him in every way. She sat on his lap, straddling him, instinctively his hands moved to her hips to steady her. He loved how natural it felt for her to be on top of him. But he knew that she wouldn't appreciate being taken advantage of in a vulnerable state either, even if she was the one who started it.

"Cal" he started, pulling away from her. "I can't do this to you, not now, you're very vulnerable and I care about you too much to go through with this right now. I'm sorry." He stated.

"Eric, you're not taking advantage of me. I want this." She reasoned.

"No, babe. You may want this now but I don't want you to regret it later." Eric was always a gentleman like that. He always put her needs before his own. He always took into consideration his actions, before doing anything with her; which isn't how he used to be, considering his 'playboy' past. But he knew he had to do these things with Calleigh, because she was different. He cared about her.

"Okay, well can you at least stay the night? It would at least make sleeping a bit easier." She asked.

"Okay, whatever you need." He said, meaning every word. As they got off the couch and started walking into her bedroom, she turned around and asked

"Can I ask you a question though?"

"Anything, Cal"

"Why did you come here, to be with me, and then turn me down?"

"Because, I really do want you. But not like this. I want you to be happy and to be in a place where you can look me in the eyes and be ready for the real thing, a real relationship. Not just casual sex. I need to know that we want the same thing. Okay?" He reasoned.

"Okay." She stated, dejectedly.

Seeing the saddened look in her eyes as she turned around, he pulled her back to him knowing she needed to be kept close. After the hug broke, he followed her into her bedroom. As badly as he wanted to take her up on her offer, he knew he had to wait for her. He would wait forever for her, if he had to. He adored her with every fiber of his being. Her beautiful long blonde hair, her tiny frame, her intoxicating scent, her perfectly painted nails and toes, her adorable little button nose. That thing she did with her hands when she was nervous. The way she looked at him when she needed an answer that she didn't have. The smile she reserved only for him. He couldn't get enough of her.

Calleigh wasn't in the mood to be told no, especially after such a rough day, so she was a little frustrated at the thought of not being with Eric tonight. But the idea of him sleeping over wasn't a bad consolation prize. And he _did_ show up to her house, so he started this. Regardless of the fact that they both knew what they wanted, neither were ready to say it fully. Eric needed to ensure that she was ready in order to give all of himself to her, and Calleigh needed to make up her mind and stop being so damn stubborn. But neither of them were ready. So, they walked over to the bed, Eric stripped down to his boxers, and Calleigh snuggled into him, irritated that he was torturing her with his sculpted muscles, his smooth chest, and arms that encapsulated her like the safest blanket in all of Miami. She wanted him bad, but knew that he was right. However, Calleigh wasn't ready to give up quite yet.

She started moving quite a bit under the blanket, and Eric, in his naturally curious state, wondered why. He looked under the covers to see a fully nude Calleigh Duquesne, now snuggling her way into his arms. His eyes widened at the sight of her, she was so beautiful. His mind went blank and he couldn't make out the words that she was saying to him if his life depended on it.

"Eric, is it okay if I sleep like this? It's kind of warm in here, and this is much more comfortable." She stated in her sweetest southern drawl knowing what she was doing to him.

"Uh, sure Cal, whatever makes you happy." He managed to get out a sentence. This was good. 'Keep it together, Delko', he thought to himself. She was torturing him and he knew it. He also knew that she thought she could get him to do what she wanted by using her 'sweet voice' as he called it. He loved it and secretly wanted to just take her right then and there. But he knew he had to wait.

Torturously, she worked her way into a spooning position with him, and made each movement more strategic than the last, to make sure that he was squirming by the end of this tease-fest she'd put on. He refused to give in, though. Calleigh was not the type to take 'no' for an answer, and for some reason, that attribute was amplified when it came to Eric. She was too vulnerable and desperate for him, and she hated that it took over her like this.

She moved her butt up against his groin and could feel the effect that she was having on him. She loved it. Eric was trying so hard to keep her and his mind at bay, but it was a hard task considering there was an additional 'hard' task down below the blankets, urging him to do what she wanted.

He rolled her over to look at her, and kissed her forehead, hoping the sweet kiss would calm her down and send the message that he was serious. It did. She looked up at him dejectedly once again and asked "Eric, what's wrong? Am I not good enough anymore? Do you not want me? Because these tricks, a month ago, would have had you inside me by now."

He chuckled a bit at her reference. The air changed, she was angrier, and more impatient. He saw that. But he knew exactly what she needed, he just needed to hear her say the words so that he had the green light.

"No Calleigh. You're everything. You're perfect, and I love you. But I don't want this to be another cheap shot at a relationship because we're into it at the moment. I want something real with you. Something for the long haul. And…" Before he could get out the next sentence she cut him off.

"Eric, don't you think I want all that? Don't you think that you are _my_ everything? I dream about you at night, and daydream about you during the day, at work. I think about you all the time, and have no idea why I keep pushing you away. Before you came here tonight, I felt so empty. I knew what was missing but I avoided the thought and pretended I didn't know. But I did. You were missing, Eric, and I wanted you to call or something but you did me one better. You came to me and told me you loved me. I really needed that and I didn't know how to react. And I'm sorry. Look, all I know for sure right now is that I need you in my life and that I want what you want. I need you, all of you. I want what we said we'd have early on. I promise I will work on not pushing you away and isolating myself every time there is a minor inconvenience. I promise you, Eric. I will not let us go again."

He could cry right now. Did the woman that he loved more than anyone or anything in the world just admit to him that she truly loves him? He felt as though his whole world had just come together and he finally was complete. He had his Calleigh. He had the love of his life, telling him that she loved him too. It was epic. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed both sides of her tiny face and cupped it in his hands.

"You're so beautiful, Calleigh." he stated before bringing her into one of the most, passionate kisses that she had ever had in her life. He was completely infatuated with her. Enamored. He was whole when he was with her. She broke the kiss, and looked into his eyes. She loved his big brown puppy dog eyes. They always won her over. She calmed down a lot, and realized that sex was not the way, tonight. At that point, she was just happy to be in his arms. She nuzzled her way into the crook of his neck, and stayed like that, he eventually heard soft snoring, and noticed that her breathing had evened out.

He loved watching her sleep. She was so graceful and peaceful. So perfect. He eventually grew tired and fell asleep, himself. Cuddled up next to the love of his life, keeping her safe and warm. She was always his top priority, and she always would be.

 **Chapter 3 is coming soon! Stay tuned! :)**

 **-C**


	3. Chapter 3: A Little Late

**CHAPTER 3: A Little Late**

They woke up the next morning to the blaring sound of Calleigh's phone ringing. Shit. They were late. They scrambled to make it out the door in 15 minutes, but they did it. Hopefully no one would notice that Eric was wearing the same pants and shoes as he was the day before. His house was too far, at that point and thank God Calleigh kept an extra dress shirt of his. He managed to find a pair of clean underwear too, another miracle.

"Do you think they'll say anything?" Calleigh asked, noticeably uneasy.

"Nah, what are they gonna say? If anything, I'll tell H about my car breaking down and that you had to pick me up, which gives us an excuse as to why we're late." Eric stated very calmly.

"Okay, but if we get caught, you're taking the night shift." She added with a playful wink.

"Don't worry baby, I'd always take the night shift for you." He said, knowing that he absolutely would if it came down to it.

They made it to work in 10 minutes flat, and managed to avoid the stares from all the lab techs, and write off Ryan's sarcastic remarks with Eric's expertly thought out alibi. Everyone seemed normal and the day moved pretty quickly. Towards the end of the day Eric was feeling a severe lack of Calleigh in his day and needed to see her. Knowing that most of their co-workers had left for the night, and the night shift people had taken over, he felt the need to pay his southern beauty a visit. So, he snuck into the ballistics lab, hoping she wouldn't notice. She was test-firing rounds, and had earmuffs on, so she wouldn't hear him even if she were listening. He always loved watching her shoot guns. Her shooter's stance was one that could make his knees weak. She was so hot when she fired weapons. When she put her gun down he snuck up behind her and snaked his arms around her waist, right as she reached to take off the earmuffs.

She jumped at the feel of his arms wrapping around her waist.

"Jesus, Eric! You damn near gave me a heart attack!" She yelled.

"Sorry, I just missed you, that's all." He explained as he laughed at her disheveled demeanor.

"It's okay, but we are at work, so I suggest you do that when we get home…" She trailed off as he started kissing down her neck and onto her collarbone.

She moaned a little at the wonderful things he was doing with his lips. The assault on her senses was everything she needed, and she wasn't about to stop it. Knowing that their co-workers were gone and that they were safe, she turned around to face him, still in his arms, and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck for better support. She used to care about what people said and saw when she was at work with a significant other, but not as much with Eric. Mostly because she knew that Eric would kick the ass of whoever said anything about it.

They deepened the kiss, and things started getting really hot and heavy in firearms. The thought of work sex was too much for their minds, because- let's be real- they were both thinking it. The hands that were around her waist slowly made their way down to cup her butt. He gave her butt a small squeeze and she let out a girly shriek, just loud enough for him to hear and no one else.

"You like that, huh? He joked.

"Maybe, depends on what your next move is gonna be." She said in a sultry, yet playful voice.

"You wanna find out? Right here?" He asserted.

"No, but I would love to find out at home, or maybe… in the hummer if you can't wait that long." She teased.

"Don't tempt me, Calleigh. I might just take you right here, right now." He said suggestively.

"Oh, hush now, you." She said, bringing the conversation back to its normal playfulness.

He loved when she joked with him and teased him. She always had a knack for knowing exactly what to say to make his mind spin. As if on cue, Horatio cleared his throat, standing at the doorframe of the ballistics lab. They both jumped, thinking they were screwed, but Horatio just offered them a small smirk.

"Be careful, gossip spreads around here like wildfire." Horatio said, adding a nod of approval to Eric and a soft, calming smile to Calleigh who looked utterly mortified. She hated being caught, but if it had to be someone, Horatio Caine would be her first pick.

"Will do, H." Eric answered, knowing Calleigh was still in too much shock to answer.

Horatio excused himself, after bidding them good night. Eric quickly turned to the tiny woman in his arms, seemingly still uneasy.

"Babe, it's okay. H won't tell anyone." He added with a wink.

"I know but that was really embarrassing." She said still trying to get the mortified look off of her face.

"It's fine, relax querida." He said in effort to calm her down a bit.

She loved when he called her that. When he spoke to her in Spanish, that was her kryptonite. He took her hand and led her to the door, as she shut the lights in the lab.

"Let's go home." He said.

"Let's go." She agreed. As they walked out together they saw Horatio getting into his car, ready to leave the lab with Kyle. They both waved, and Horatio and Kyle waved back. Horatio just smiled but Kyle looked a bit surprised. Which, to them, wasn't surprising.

They got into the car, Eric always drove, and they situated themselves as Eric began to speak.

"Is it too late to take you up on your offer?" He asked. She gave him a look, and said

"I think my house is close enough, and besides- I think we've been caught at work more than enough times for one day."

Knowing she was right, he started driving.

Once they made it to her house, and in the door, he immediately had her pinned up against the wall. Kissing her like he had never kissed any woman before. Things grew intense really quickly, and neither of them could keep their hands off the other. His hands were roaming through her hair and around her waist, and hers over his chest and up to cup his face. He swiftly picked her up so that he could take her with him. Having operated around her house blindly so many times before worked out in his favor as he refused to tear his lips from hers _just_ to get them to her bedroom. He could do that with his eyes closed even without her being in his arms.

She loved this man. More than she could even have imagined herself loving someone. As she held onto him, she realized that she couldn't let go even if she wanted to. She never wanted to, anyway. She was so happy. Finally.

They made it to her bedroom, as he laid her gently on the bed, and crawled on top of her. He kissed her lips, and down her neck until he reached her pulse point- she loved when he did that. After leaving a sufficient mark on her neck, he moved his lips back up to hers, and placed a wet kiss on her lips. He then trailed off to her ear and whispered, "You're so beautiful", making her shiver.

She never knew the true effect that he had on her until they started sleeping together, some time ago. The first time was like pure ecstasy, she'd never made love to anyone the way she did to Eric. Every other guy was casual- no strings sex, or just for fun sex. With Eric, it was actual love making. Even when things were hot and fast, and messy- it was always love making.

He worked his fingers through the buttons on her shirt, and almost made it all the way down the row of buttons before she pushed his hands away so she could pull his shirt over his head. Having the intrusive garment removed from him, made things easier. He finished undoing the buttons of her shirt, and pushed either side over her shoulders and down her arms, discarding it on the chair beside the bed. He made quick work of the button on her pants, and removed them to free her legs. As he made his way to her bra she protested, "I think you're a little over dressed, Officer Delko." She added with a wink. He loved when she called him that, it was such a turn on for him. And seeing as he still had his wife beater, his pants, his socks, and his shoes on, he had to agree. He let her go to work on his belt buckle while he tossed his wife beater onto that same chair beside Calleigh's bed. Once she had his pants at his ankles, he kicked his shoes off to enable himself to get rid of his pants.

His pants and shoes now fallen to the floor, he looked up- Calleigh sprawled out on the bed in nothing but a matching set of red lace undergarments, was quite the image. Eric took in the sight before him. Almost losing his cool, he got close to her and said, "I wanna make you feel good, baby." She shivered at his statement. His hot breath felt so good running along her cheek, she's missed him a little extra today, so this was absolutely necessary.

He ran his tongue down her neck and over her shoulder, pulling a bra strap with his teeth, off her shoulder and down as far as he could. ran kisses across her chest from right to left as he repeated his actions on the left strap. She arched her back to allow him to undo the clasp of her bra.

One of the only good things that came from his years of casual sex with random women was, other than the loads of experience and, as a result, the ability to please women, was how to undo a bra in one swift movement- which he did.

Her bra thrown aside, he gasped as her breasts bounced, free from their constraints, and almost knocked Eric off of his game. But he knew what he wanted to do and wasn't going to let anything distract him from that.

He took a nipple in his mouth and flicked his tongue over it a few times, while rolling the other nipple in between his fingers, eliciting a moan from Calleigh. She never liked being obnoxiously loud during sex, and never let herself get too crazy, but Eric had a way of making her lose all control, and who could blame her? Good sex, is good sex. She was sure her neighbors would understand.

He made his way to the other breast, mimicking his earlier actions in reverse. She liked what he was doing but knew that this teasing was far from over. He loved teasing her and she only liked teasing when it came from him. She never let anyone else tease for as long as he was allowed to. Maybe it was the fact that she knew he would go as long as she wanted him to, and that he was the only one who would. But she never let him go for as long as he _would_ have actually gone, she always stopped him after a little while so she could return the favor.

She tried to stop him after he was done with the second breast, but he wouldn't let her. He wanted to fully ravish her before she even thought about doing anything to him. He always put her first. He made his way down to her belly button, leaving a trail of fiery kisses in his wake, only stopping to look up at her- to take her all in. Eric could take just about anything, but the sight of his Calleigh sprawled out on the bed, moaning and enjoying herself, and knowing that he was the reason for it- that was almost better than the actual sex. Almost.

He made it down further, and instead of going straight for her thong, he moved down and kissed and sucked on the inside of her left thigh, leaving a trail of little marks after each suck. He did the same to her right thigh, driving her crazy. He knew she was growing impatient, but he loved to see her squirm, so he climbed his way up her body and whispered in her ear, "patience is a virtue, mi amor."

She moaned a little as he spoke. His voice, sometimes, could be enough to throw her over- so husky and masculine. She couldn't get enough of him. As he started moving back down to where she needed him, he left little hickeys all over her body, from her neck down to her hips. He reached for her underwear and pulled them down with his teeth, because 'what could possibly be sexier?' she thought. Nothing- the answer is nothing.

He pulled them all the way off, and reached his arms around her thighs to stabilize her hips, which were impatiently squirming, needing him so badly, she had no control over her body. He moved up to her core, taking her in, and he kissed the area right beside her clit, and she moaned. She needed him, and he was teasing a little too much now. His tongue finally connected with her clit, and his lips sucked on her, and she moaned louder than she probably should've, and immediately covered her mouth, embarrassed.

He looked up at her and chuckled at her embarrassment. He finally went back to work on her, knowing he'd have to make it up to her since he'd been teasing for a long time. He sucked on her clit while his middle finger entered her. She was already wet and red hot. She couldn't help but to let her body just take most of the control and enjoy herself, because- at that point, her brain was mush.

He had her right where he wanted her, he knew she wouldn't last long, all he had to do was keep going. He contemplated stopping, but knew that she'd probably shoot him with the gun she hid inside the drawer of her nightstand. So, he kept going. He knew she needed more, so he entered a second finger, and she was seeing stars. He had her right on the edge, she was so close. He could feel her walls tightening around him. She felt that slow burning feeling in the pit of her stomach, and lost all control. She came in a shiver, and moaned his name as she did, which almost sent him soaring over too. He couldn't help it, her moaning his name as she came was the one thing that could make his brain stop working and make him drop to his knees.

She regained the ability to breathe, and immediately kissed him. She flipped them over, as he took off his boxers, and straddled his waist. He looked at her and all he managed to get out was "So beautiful", and she blushed. Her silky-smooth skin running up against his was almost too much for him, as he was in a very fragile state, after witnessing Calleigh's ecstasy. She kissed his lips and left little wet kisses all the way down his chest, and to his waist, where she took him in her hands and started stroking him.

He moaned, unable to think straight. She moved down further, and placed kissed on his hard member, she was about to take him into her mouth when he protested "Cal, you don't have to do that. It's okay…" She cut him off, and placed a finger over his lips. "Shhh… Don't say anything, just enjoy yourself. You take care of me, I take care of you. Remember?" She stated, matter-of-factly. "Babe…" he started, "Eric. I want this." She said. Unable to protest any longer, he let her continue. She was so good at this, but he felt bad for asking. He didn't want her feeling obligated, but she always said she liked it. He knew she was telling the truth because he could see right through any lie she told him.

She took him in her mouth, and started bobbing her head up and down, her hands following the motions her head was making. He was dizzy, his head spinning, his eyes rolling into the back of his skull. He moaned her name, hoping that this would never end. He'd always felt bad for asking her to do this, but maybe he shouldn't because she was so damn good at it.

He looked down at her watching her take his entire length into her mouth, almost losing it at the sight of her. He was close, and she could tell, she felt him throbbing inside her mouth, as she bobbed up and down on him. He sucked harder as if she were milking him, she spun her hands around him as she sucked on the tip. She moaned on him, making him feel the vibrations. Her moans in conjunction with her sucking and twisting and her long blonde hair falling all over the place were just too much, he came with a moan of her name falling off his lips as he did. She swallowed every last bit of him, as he came. Once she looked up, he took her in his arms and looked into her eyes, "You are the woman of my dreams. Beautiful, smart, talented- clearly. How did I get so lucky?" He asked. She giggled and kissed his nose.

"You ready, princesa?" He asked. She nodded her head and blushed at the notion of her being his "princesa", as she moved to lay on her back. He always started on top, giving her a chance to adjust to his large size. She appreciated that. He situated himself at her entrance, and before he went in, he kissed her, "I love you, Calleigh." He stated. "I love you too, Eric." She replied. When she gave him the go-ahead, he pushed into her, and they both moaned at the new sensation. He filled her so completely that there wasn't even room inside her for air. He felt good inside her. She'd missed him.

His pace was slow and languid at first, but she needed more than that, and he knew she would eventually try to take control if he didn't start moving a little faster. As if she read his mind, she pleaded with him, "Faster, babe. Please." He loved when she begged for him. "Anything for my princesa" he said. She moaned as he started picking up the pace. He was so close, but refused to come without her. So, he started rubbing small circles on her clit, and it seemed as though every nerve ending in her body had just been lit on fire.

She thrashed her hips, meeting his on every stroke. She was losing it, and so was he. His thrusts became more erratic, her moans got louder. He leaned down to hold her as they both came with moans of each other's names. He pulled out of her, and she sighed, saddened by the loss of him. But he made up for it, when he pulled her into him and held her, never wanting to let her go.

He was so happy to be holding her again. He hated their 'off time', and never wanted it again. She promised him that she wouldn't push him away anymore, and he knew she always made good on her promises. He was actually truly happy for the first time in a long time and so was she. Calleigh had a lot of work to do in order to build this relationship properly this time. But this time, she was truly ready, and her heart was open for him. He had finally broken down the last wall. Smashed the last shield. Destroyed the final guard, around her heart.

They were both excited at the prospect of being together, for real this time. She snuggled into him, as he kissed her hair. "I love you, Calleigh. Don't you forget that." He said. "I love you too, Eric." She replied, with a soft kiss on his arm that she was using as a pillow. They quickly fell asleep, and were both thanking their lucky stars that Eric's car broke down, and was able to show up at her house that one night. They were finally happy.

 **There you go friends, chapter 3 is done and chapter 4 is on the way. All of your beautiful reviews mean the world to me so thank you tons! I hope you are enjoying my story, there are plenty more to come so please stay tuned! :)**

 **-C**


	4. Chapter 4: Horatio's Curiosity

**Here it is! The long awaited chapter 4! I know it's short but chapter 5 is coming shortly. Thank you all for the constant love, it means the world! :)**

 **-C**

 **CHAPTER 4: Horatio's Curiosity**

Horatio never poked around in the personal lives of his CSIs, and he never partook in office gossip. However, with the rumors of Eric and Calleigh's budding romance flying throughout the lab, he couldn't help but recall that one day that he caught them making out in the ballistics lab. He knew Stetler would be in soon to cause problems for them and knew that he had to do something to calm the gossip.

He called Calleigh and Eric into his office, and warned them about the impending doom that is Rick Stetler.

"Look, Eric, Calleigh- you know that I'm happy for you two and frankly I think that this is way overdue. However, you both know how Rick loves to twist balls around here, and as soon as the gossip makes its way to the wrong people, you'll be questioned and be forced to undergo investigations from IAB. So, I suggest that any PDA be kept out of the lab for a bit. Just until the lab rats calm down, okay?" He said calmly.

"We understand, H. Believe me, no one wants Stetler around, especially since that whole ordeal last month." Eric stated.

"Don't remind me, I'm still filing paperwork for that fiasco." Horatio said jokingly.

"The longer we keep Rick out of the vicinity, the better." Calleigh added.

"Agreed." Horatio stated. "Now get out there before people start more rumors." He added with a smirk.

"Thanks, H." Eric added as he and Calleigh left the office.

Horatio watched as the two left his office, hand in hand until the door opened. He was so happy for them, his brother and the girl he took a chance with and brought up with him since she started 10 years ago, his number two in command. He knew, especially after Eric got shot, that he needed Calleigh and that she was more than happy to be there for him. Horatio had been watching their behavior from afar for so many months, and never said anything. He knew they needed space to handle things themselves.

He watched as they read the files from Dr. Marsh's office, and saw Calleigh's expression change when she read a file that he assumed could only be Eric's, as she looked at him in disbelief. He watched as Eric held Calleigh as she went down that one time she suffered from smoke inhalation. He saw them exchange looks in the lab as they tried to figure out what they were going to be. And once they did, he watched on as Eric and Calleigh kissed outside of ICE, and vowed to protect each other. He watched as Eric held her, as the doctors stabbed the life-saving needle into her heart, and she woke up to see only him. He watched as Eric and Calleigh left the lab together, and tried their best to hide their relationship. He saw it all.

Horatio loved that they had each other, but was worried for them. Once people started finding out, their relationship could easily be used as ammo against them. In any situation they dealt with, they were now ten times more vulnerable than before. But he never said a word, he just watched as his two closest CSIs melded into one and became who the other needed them to be.

Ignoring the fact that they occasionally came in late, together, and the fact that Calleigh had never been late in all the years he'd known her, despite Eric's occasional tardiness early on in his career, he let it slide. Also ignoring their "locker breaks" throughout the day, he figured that no one would say anything considering they did a pretty decent job at hiding their relationship at work. Especially from a group of detectives. He was actually a bit disappointed in his team until he found out about the running bet between Walter, Ryan, Natalia, Valera, Travers, Frank and Tom. Of course, he bought in, because he had the upper hand. He convinced his team that he only bought in for shits and giggles, but he knew he would win. He chuckled to himself at the thought.

Once he realized that Eric and Calleigh had left a bit of a trail, he decided to help them out. He covered for them whenever they had an inexplicable lateness, or an alibi that didn't stick, because why would there be traffic on the causeway at 6:30 am? There wouldn't be- and they all knew it. Horatio loved them like family, and would do anything to keep them safe. That's the way it is, and always has been.

 **Chapter 5 is coming TODAY, so stay tuned later on for the updates! :)**


	5. Chapter 5: Long Day, Longer Night

**As promised, here's chapter 5 :)**

 **CHAPTER 5: Long Day, Longer Night**

Calleigh and Eric had each had their share of a long day, today, and needed a break. Calleigh knew Eric was shot and needed a pick-me-up. It was clearly too late in the day to justify a third cup of coffee, so she figured out another way to perk him up. And if they were going to grab drinks with the team later, she knew she was going to have to help him out, somehow. The day was pretty much over and everyone was leaving, but it would be long before they saw the inside of a hummer.

Calleigh went to his lab, and found him taking off his lab coat, she said nothing and just grabbed his hand and took him with her. She knew the firearms lab would be empty for at least an hour today, before the night shift took over. Calleigh was the only one ever in that lab anyway, so there were no dangers in bringing him with her.

Eric, now worried, begged the question, "Calleigh, where are we going?" He had no choice but to keep walking. Calleigh stayed silent, but the glimpse of sheer excitement in her eyes let him know that everything was okay. She guided them into her lab, past the test cubicles, past the gun vault, and into the bathroom.

"Babe, what's going on, are you oka…" He was cut off by her capturing his lips in a kiss. She kissed him with everything she had, hoping she could get him to relax. Eric was extra tense today, and needed something to calm him. Once the need for oxygen became too much, they pulled away.

"Woah, where did that come from?" Eric asked chuckling at her actions.

"I thought you could use a pick-me-up before we went out. you looked kind of mellow today." She said.

"Well I do like pick-me-ups, but what I'd really like to do, is pick _you_ up." He said as he nonchalantly picked her up and placed her on the bathroom sink.

She giggled as he placed her, coming back into her for more. They kissed for what seemed like hours, until Calleigh broke the kiss.

"Stall. Now." She demanded. A demand Eric was happy to comply with.

He carried her into the handicapped stall, it was bigger than the others so it made for easier access. He sucked on her bottom lip as he pushed her against the back of the stall, and situated her around his waist. She threw her arms lazily around his neck, as he moved his hands all over her body. He ran his hands up her legs over her butt and gave it a light squeeze. She squealed into his mouth like a little girl, and giggled at the sound. He then moved his hands up to cup her breasts, and started undoing the buttons of her shirt as she ran her hands over his chest. Once a significant number of buttons were undone, he reached into her shirt and grabbed hold of a breast. He felt the soft lacy material of her bra and cupped squeezed her in his hand, gently enough not to hurt her, but strong enough to make her wet.

She cursed herself for wearing pants today, 'Why on Earth would you do that?' she thought to herself, as she felt Eric move her bra to the side. He took a nipple into his mouth, which made Calleigh moan. He rubbed her clit through her pants as he sucked on her nipple, and she couldn't help but moan his name.

Deciding that it was his turn, she stopped him and kissed his lips as she unraveled her legs from his hips, and slid down his body. She pulled off his shirt as he undid the buttons, and tossed it over the side of the stall, she didn't trust the floors of any bathroom other than her own. He took her shirt and did the same. Knowing she'd kill him if he threw it on the floor. She started working on his belt buckle as he ran his hands through her hair.

She successfully undid the belt and pulled down his pants to his knees. She stroked him through his boxer-briefs. He couldn't help but let out a moan. She knew exactly what she was doing. She pulled him out of his underwear, and kissed the tip. He was larger than any man she'd ever been with, and she liked it that way. He was 9 1/2 inches of pure ecstasy. She took him into her mouth and began sucking on him, laving him with everything he needed. He hands twisting and moving, mimicking her head's motions. He couldn't see straight, he was shocked that he was still standing up. He held her hair back, and let her do her thing. He loved watching her, she was so graceful and perfect, even when she wasn't supposed to be.

She sucked until he got too close, a tease would keep him on edge, she thought. Sighing in displeasure at the loss of the sensations, he pulled her pants down and took them off- throwing them over the stall with his own. Leaving her in nothing but a dark green matching set- of course they're matching, she's Calleigh- of undergarments, and her stiletto heels. the bra was sheer except for a small rose bud covering her nipples, in conjunction with some lacy designs, but mostly sheer. The thong was mostly string, but with much of the same lace patterns as the bra.

He took her into his arms and lifted her once again, placing her on his knee, so that she could grind herself onto him if she wanted. He kissed her with so much passion and need, that she almost gave in, but she wasn't done with him yet. She kissed along his neck, and down his shoulder, he liked that. She could sense his growing need for her and knew it was time, and as if he read her mind, he pushed her thong to the side, and entered her. She was so hot and wet already, he couldn't get enough of her. He laid his head in the crook of her neck as he thrust into her.

He held her tight to him, as they panted and moaned. he couldn't think as her scent intoxicated him, more than any alcohol had ever intoxicated him before. She smelled like lavender, vanilla, and sweat. She drove him crazy. She could no longer form sentences as he pushed into her, all she could do was breathe, moan, and enjoy the sensations. He must've known what he was doing, because he moved in such a way where he rubbed her clit on every thrust, and it sent her soaring each time.

They were so close, they both knew the other wouldn't last much longer, and Eric decided to take matters into his own hands, and suck on Calleigh's sensitive nipple- he thanked God when he found _that_ little trick. She came with a scream of his name, and hearing her cum, allowed him to do the same. He spilled himself inside her, and kissed her hard as he did.

Coming down from their highs, she looked into his eyes, "I'm so glad I dragged you in here." She stated, still trying to catch her breath. "Me too, babe." He said. "We should probably get dressed, the team is probably wondering where we are." He stated matter-of-factly.

They grabbed their clothes and started getting dressed. As they heard footsteps leaving the lab. Calleigh's face turned ten shades of red, and Eric lost all color in his. Once they were dressed, they walked out of the bathroom carefully, and found a note on Calleigh's desk. "Read it. I don't want to." She said, mortified at the thought of someone catching them. Eric took the note in his hand and read it aloud, "See you at Brennan's. -H" They sighed in relief that it was Horatio, but also feeling utterly embarrassed for being caught.

"Damn that Horatio always knowing." Calleigh said sort of accepting the fact that nothing good would come from this, yet hoping they'd never have to address it with him- ever. "Maybe he didn't hear anything. Maybe he dropped it and left." Eric said trying to calm her. "I doubt it, the man hears all, sees all, and knows all." Calleigh said with slight humor in her voice. They both knew Horatio would have something to say, but they didn't want to think about it now. They had to get to Brennan's before the team had any thoughts to share about their lateness.

 **I hope you enjoyed this one, chapter 6 is on its way. Thanks again for reading, and stay tuned! :)**

 **-C**


	6. Chapter 6: Longer Night Than Expected

**Here's Chapter 6! :)**

 **CHAPTER 6: Longer Night Than Expected**

The two arrived at Brennan's, where the entire team, including Horatio, had a table in the back. They didn't bother going separately, if they were late, they were better off telling the team they had to finish a conjoining case together rather than making the lie even more permeable than it already would be. The team greeted them in a natural CSI fashion.

"Woah look who it is, a half hour late." Walter started in.

"Yeah, finally, where were you guys?" Natalia asked.

"We had to finish up reports on a conjoining case, we worked in the glades, and it was due be the end of the day so…" Calleigh trailed off as they sat down to join their team.

"So, what was the case?" Horatio asked, taunting them knowingly. Eric shot his brother-in-law a glare, hoping he would pull back, but he knew after being caught like that, they would have some hell to pay in some way, shape, or form.

"It was the Livingston case." Calleigh added, thanking her lucky stars she looked into old case files before they left to find one they worked together.

"Ah, the Livingston case. That was a rough one." Horatio backed down, as he quickly found that Calleigh was just a tad smarter than he anticipated in their current situation.

"Damn the Livingston case, I remember that one. It sucked." Ryan added.

"Yeah, but enough work talk, what's going on here? What did we miss on our way in?" Eric asked.

"Well, to start, we have a bit of an issue with your shirt, Eric." Ryan stated giggling to himself. Eric looked at him baffled, "My shirt?" he asked.

"Yeah, Delko, it's on inside out." Walter added. Calleigh looked over at him and giggled at the discovery.

"Eric, didn't you know it's only cute to dress like that when you're a child?" Calleigh teased, covering them both at Eric's expense.

"Haha, you're all a bunch of comedians now, huh?" Eric shot back.

"Only because we love you so much." Ryan retorted.

"Thanks." Eric said sarcastically, as he stood up to fix his shirt. Naturally, the team all wooed and cat-called as he took off the shirt.

"Woah save that for Calleigh's house." Ryan teased. Shock was written all over Calleigh's face, as Eric quickly recovered for them.

"Haha very funny Wolfe. You should get your facts straight before you spit em' next time." Eric stated.

"Yeah, yeah deny it all you want but we all know. We all have a running bet that we need to settle, my man." Walter shot back, defending Ryan.

"Eric, should we tell them?" Calleigh teased. Eric caught on quickly, and played along. He put his arm around Calleigh and started speaking.

"Yes, you should all know that Calleigh and I were secretly married, years ago, and we have 3 kids hiding away at home." Eric joked.

They all laughed at the joke, the team secretly hoping that they would admit to being together. However, their wish came to a dead end, and Eric and Calleigh quickly changed the subject. As the night went on, Eric stayed holding Calleigh, and everyone noticed but the two of them. The night continued smoothly until the team became impatient and wanted answers.

Calleigh was the first to let loose, she almost forgot where she was but even in her drunken stupor she remembered to keep their love private. They laughed, they joked, and the team tried their best to get them to slip, but to no prevail, Calleigh and Eric held tight. Although, Horatio had one more trick up his sleeve.

Horatio noticed that anytime someone asked questions about their relationship, Eric always covered. It seemed that Calleigh had only the alibi thought out, not the entire night. So, Horatio thought it was time to talk to Calleigh. Especially since he was forced to listen to their little bathroom rendezvous while he made sure no one entered the lab.

"Calleigh, you said you were working the Livingston case before you got here. Is that right?" He inquired.

"Yeah, that case was a doozy." She slurred.

"What was the husband's name, again? I keep forgetting and it's driving me crazy." He asked.

"Um…" she paused. She couldn't remember and since she was a bit buzzed at the moment her brain wasn't exactly working in her favor. "I don't remember. I wasn't looking for his name." she said.

"That's funny, because there was no husband. I specifically remember there being a mother and two children, but no father. No boyfriend, nothing. And if you actually did write up the report you would remember that. Wouldn't you?" He interrogated. Calleigh didn't know what to say, only to ignore it and move on.

The team caught on, and waited patiently, until the night ended. The night ended and their little investigation came to no prevail, and they gave up, figuring there'd be another way to get them eventually. They told Horatio that they were gonna do some 'extra-curricular CSI work', as they put it.

Horatio's hummer made its way to Calleigh's house where he dropped them off. They both went in, as if it were natural, and Horatio followed. Eric was, at that point, sober enough to thank Horatio and take care of a very drunk Calleigh.

"Take care of her, Eric." Horatio said, with a knowing smile on his face.

"I will, H." Eric replied, as he looked over at Calleigh laying on the couch. By the time he looked back, Horatio had disappeared. He looked back over at Calleigh, and just laughed. She looked so happy and carefree, like a child.

"Okay, come on babe, let's get you washed up and in bed, okay?" He asked.

"Okay, but I think you'd better leave the washing to me." She joked, perfectly sober sounding.

"Wait what? You're not drunk?" He asked bewildered at her acting skills.

"No, I just didn't need any more of Horatio's interrogations." She added with a wink.

"Look at you, you, sneaky girl, how'd you pull that off?" He questioned.

"Oh please, Eric, you know I lived with my dad for 18 years, right? You know his track record, I've seen it all. It's not hard to mimic." She stated, with a smug grin on her face.

"Well Calleigh, I've known you for over 10 years and you still manage to throw me curve balls."

"What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't leave a little mystery, huh?" She said in her sweetest southern drawl as she walked into her bedroom to get changed.

 **I hope you liked it! Thank you for your support! As always, the next one's on its way :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Secrets

**Here's Chapter 7 my lovelies! Thanks for all the support! :)**

 **-C**

 **CHAPTER 7: Secrets**

Calleigh had never been this happy, ever. She'd been content in other relationships, but nothing like this. The happiness she felt with Eric, was incomparable to that of any other situation she'd ever found herself in. Even in childhood, she wasn't this happy. She had sisters and brothers to play with and they had fun, but fearing the time that daddy came home drunk (again), and watching your parents get one of the grizzliest divorces in all of Louisiana wasn't exactly a happy childhood.

She watched as Eric slept, for a while, before getting out of bed. She quietly tiptoed her way into her kitchen to start breakfast. He noticed as soon as she got out of bed, and immediately woke up, but not soon enough to pull her back into bed. He finally decided to get up when he heard something he'd never heard before. A soft humming was coming from the kitchen, he chuckled to himself never having heard her hum or sing before. Although, he'd always had a feeling that she had a good singing voice.

He found his way into the kitchen without her noticing, and snaked his arms around her waist as she prepared breakfast. She jumped a little at the contact, but ultimately settled into his embrace. He moved the hair off her neck and kissed the spot right below her jawline, which always elicited a shiver from her. He loved being able to make her shiver, or see the goosebumps start to show when he touched her. He adored the reactions she had to him.

"Good morning, baby." He said sleepily.

"Good morning" she drawled, hoping he hadn't heard her singing.

"I didn't know you could sing" he said. 'Busted' she thought to herself.

"You heard that?" she asked, embarrassed that now her secret was out.

"Yeah, you sound good. Why haven't you ever sung to me before?" He asked her, inquisitively.

"Because I don't sing." She stated rather plainly.

"Oh, I think you do babe. I think you sing when you're alone, and in the shower, and whenever you get the chance, but not in front of people. Am I right?" He stated knowingly.

"Maybe…" she trailed off playfully.

Embarrassed that he knew her so well, she decided to treat him. She turned up the radio in the kitchen, and blasted her favorite country music, and sang along. Eric was pleasantly surprised. He loved the sound of her regular speaking voice, but her singing voice was something else, it was amazing to him. She finished singing to him as they sat down to eat, and they talked and joked all through breakfast, until the unfortunate sound of their cell phones ringing flooded the kitchen, interrupting their once beautiful morning.

Eric picked up first, "H, what's up?"

"Eric, we have an issue. I need you to come into PD as soon as you can. Calleigh too. I called her but she didn't pick up." Horatio stated. Eric detected the obvious worry in his voice, and told Calleigh to get dressed as soon as he hung up. They made it to PD pretty quickly, worried about Horatio's problem, they raced to his office.


	8. Chapter 8: The Problem With Secrets

**At** **vigorous** **request, here it is the FINAL chapter! I hope you all enjoyed my story and will keep your eyes peeled for my next ones! Thank you all for the love and support. :)**

 **-C**

 **So, without further ado… Here it is:**

 **CHAPTER 8: The Problem With Secrets**

They rushed to Horatio's office and sat down quickly hoping it was nothing serious, but the look on his face said otherwise.

"Thank you both for coming, I know it's your day off, but I think you need to see this, because I got this in the mail this morning." Horatio stated.

They both stared at the image, it was of them in Calleigh's house. Eric immediately flashed back to the moment he was staring at in the photo.

 _*He picked her up and held her in his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She held his face in her hands and kissed his lips. He had one arm under her to hold her up, and the other entangled in her luscious blonde hair. They kept kissing as they made their way from the front door to the bedroom, only stopping for a second by the bay windows to drop her keys on the end table below.*_

"How did we let this happen?" Calleigh said clearly upset.

"Babe, it's not us, it's someone who doesn't want us to be together and is using this as blackmail." Eric said, trying his best to reason with her.

Horatio started in, "You should probably lay low for a bit and close the curtains next time. We don't know who did this, but we're gonna find out. I'm already looking into it. But I think it's time to come clean with the team and have them help us on this."

Knowing he was right, Eric looked at Calleigh who was initially very stern on the subject of keeping their relationship private, but now knew that they had no other options. Calleigh reluctantly agreed to telling the team, as she preferred to keep her private and work lives separate, but knew it was time.

Horatio called the team into a meeting, and one by one they filled up the conference room. Ryan and Natalia sat on the end opposite Eric and Calleigh, so they could gossip, Walter took the seat next to Calleigh's, Frank filled the middle spot next to Tom on one side, and Valera and Travers found their way in last and sat next to Horatio who decided to stick with Eric, knowing he'd need to calm the masses after such an announcement was to be made.

Eric started, "Okay so the reason you're all here is mainly my fault and I apologize in advance for dropping this in your laps but I need your help." He gestured towards Calleigh, "Actually, _we_ need your help." The team looked at the two curiously, as Calleigh picked up where Eric left off. "So as many of you probably already know or have had suspicions, Eric and I have been seeing each other for a while now and things are really great. However, we received word this morning that some others know of our relationship, and it's not good. Horatio received this photo in the mail this morning, and does not know who sent it. We need help right now, because we can't catch this stalker alone, we need our team. So, will you help us?" She almost pleaded, which is something Calleigh Duquesne does not do often.

Natalia immediately states, "Oh my God, of course guys. Look I know we all care about you both and we won't let anyone mess with you guys. This one's personal for all of us now, no worries, Cal, we'll get em'." Calleigh smiled at Natalia in gratitude. "Well I don't know about you guys, but Travers and Natalia owe me some money, cough it up friends" Ryan joked, as they handed over 5$ bills. "Seriously though, your secret is safe within this room with the team. No one's running to Stetler, because quite frankly, he's an asshole, and the less he knows- the better." Ryan said with a very serious tone in his voice.

"Thanks guys, it means a lot." Eric started, "But how are we gonna get this guy, because the photo has already been swept for fingerprints and DNA, and we got nothing. Horatio dealt with this privately for a little bit, but he came up with no results, so any ideas?"

"We can check the cameras of the building, whoever put it in the mailbox is our photographer, or at the very least an associate of the photographer." Walter stated.

"He's right, let's see what we can get off of this morning's footage." Horatio said. "It came in a manila envelope, so start with that. Look for that envelope." Horatio said as he left the room, and the team followed suit, and headed to the A/V lab. Sam and Horatio were already combing through this morning's footage when the rest of the team got there. Once they caught sight of the envelope, they did a facial recognition search in their databases and were surprised to find a match. They headed over to interrogation after Frank picked the guy up. Unbeknownst to the team, as of yet, they actually have met this particular person in the past.

Terrence the horse trainer, Calleigh's friend that thought they could be more than friends ended up being the jealous type. He admitted to blackmailing them because he was jealous that Calleigh moved on so quickly to the next guy after one date at the horse track. A statement which Calleigh quickly put to rest, saying that it was not a date, it was merely a meet-up between two new friends with a common interest in horses.

He quickly apologized, but blackmailing an officer of the law is a crime, and it was up to Eric and Calleigh if they wanted to press charges. Eric wanted to, but left the decision to Calleigh. Calleigh decided to hit him with a slap on the wrist and a let go. He was harmless, and after she explained that their entire 'relationship' was a misunderstanding, and a miscommunication- as she had started seeing Eric mere days after, and never called him back- he understood and promptly apologized again for causing her any harm or trouble, and admitted to being drunk during his little photoshoot. He also offered the SD card from his camera as consolation so that she'd feel better about his apology. Calleigh accepted both and decided to leave the whole situation where it was at the end of the interrogation.

Once the day ended, she and Eric walked out of the lab hand-in-hand, confident that their secrets and their jobs were safe with the team. "You know," Eric started "This is the first time we haven't had to let go of each other while being in the lab. I can hold you all I want now." he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, for added measure. "Don't get too comfortable, you're driving home, Officer Delko." She said with a wink and a giggle. "Baby, as long as I get to drive home with you, I don't mind." He said as they entered the elevator.

They kissed in the elevator, until they reached their stop and walked to the hummer. Once they got in and buckled up, Eric drove them home. They sat in a comfortable silence until they reached Calleigh's house. Eric noticed Calleigh looking out the window at her house, in discomfort.

"You okay, babe?" He asked.

"Yeah, just contemplating getting new curtains for the window." She said with a small smile. He laughed, and guided her into the house. A house in which they could finally be comfortable, and slightly more worry-free.

As they continued their night, and Calleigh cooked them a perfect dinner by candlelight, she placed the plates on the patio table out on her balcony, their favorite spot to eat dinner because Calleigh loved the view, and Eric loved watching the wind blow her hair softly as her sun-kissed skin glowed in the reflection of the final rays of sun as it set for the night. Seeing the stars start to come out was Calleigh's favorite because she loved finding the constellations. She smiled as she looked towards the water and saw some neighborhood kids playing on the beach. 'This is what complete bliss feels like.' Eric thought to himself, as he watched Calleigh, she was so beautiful. So, perfect. She looked happy, and that's what Eric loved to see.

"Hey, Eric?" Calleigh asked.

"Yeah, babe?" Eric curiously replied.

"Can we do something crazy?" She probed.

"Like what?" He answered a bit nervously.

"Have a baby?" She suggested.

"You want a baby? Now?" He questioned surprised at her forwardness.

"Yeah, I do. I mean I know you've always wanted kids, and I know I would like to have them. So why not?" She stated nonchalantly.

"Babe, you know I want nothing more than to start a family with you, but isn't it early in our relationship to think about that? I mean, I would love to, no doubt. But I just don't want to make any rash decisions and have you regret it and resent me for it later, you know?" He stated softly, not wanting her to be upset.

"I promise I don't regret a thing, babe." She said. Eric caught on quickly.

"Did you say 'don't'..." He asked. Realizing that she said 'don't' instead of 'won't', and starting to get excited.

"Yes, I did." She said with the biggest smile he'd ever seen her give. As she pulled out a small bag and handed it to him.

"What's this?" He asked nervously.

"Open it" She said as she motioned towards the bag.

Eric opened the bag and removed the tissue paper, and immediately noticed the long thin, see through, case inside, he picked it up and immediately started tearing up. It was a positive pregnancy test. He then pulled out a onesie that read 'My dad may be the cop, but I got the guns' with arrows pointing from the word 'guns' to the arms of the onesie. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, he couldn't believe that the woman he loved was carrying his baby.

"Is this real, Cal? I'm gonna be a dad?" He said excitedly.

"Yeah, I found out a few days ago, and was trying to think of how to tell you." She said, as happy tears started welling up in her eyes.

He jumped up from the table and immediately kissed her. He had never been so happy in his life. All he ever wanted was to be a husband and a father. Now that he had one, he was determined to make the other happen. They both started crying, and kissing. It was a blissful moment that, thankfully, went uninterrupted. However, they both knew this would come with certain obstacles. But for now, they celebrated as a happy couple. Eric leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her belly. Calleigh giggled at the sensation. She was always so ticklish. He loved that about her.

As he kissed her belly he whispered, "Hey there little peanut. It's your daddy. I can't wait to meet you." Calleigh, hearing his words, started crying, because she had never known such happiness in her life. Such bliss. 'This is what life is supposed to be like.' She thought to herself. 'This is what I was missing.' She knew, as she looked down to see Eric kissing her belly, that this is what she's always needed. This is what was missing, and finally the puzzle that was her life was complete.


End file.
